Applying For a Dog

Applying For a Dog

Am I eligible?

We assess every application for a hearing dog as an individual case. A hearing dog is not for everyone; we want to make sure that a hearing dog is the most suitable aid for you.

We welcome expressions of interest from people who:

are at least 18 years old

have hearing loss

can demonstrate a real need for a hearing dog

have a securely contained area for the dog to just ‘be a dog’

can maintain the dog’s training for the whole of its life (we support you with this)

are physically and financially able to care for a hearing dog, and genuinely like dogs

do not have another dog—any other pet is ok.

Even if you do not currently meet all these criteria, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your individual circumstances.

In all cases, once you express an interest we will contact you or your representative to find out more about you. We will then send you a full application package. This package must come from us and not from anywhere else.

Important points for applicants

You must:

fill out the application form yourself if possible

provide a medical report from your doctor (details supplied in the application package)

provide a written report of a recent hearing test from an audiologist

provide a character reference from someone other than a member of your family

provide a signed application agreement form.

If you have a job, a hearing dog will only be suitable if it can be at work with you in safety and comfort.